Saxifrage paniculata saxifraga paniculata. Saxifrage: decorate the garden with a flowering carpet. Saxifrage in the garden: growing conditions and care
Saxifrage (Saxifraga) belongs to the Kamnelomkovy family.
The cold and temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere are considered the birthplace of this plant. A feature of the saxifrage will be its survival rate.
So in nature it can grow where other flowers simply cannot grow (rocks, mountain foothills, mounds of stones). Such a plant is also popularly called “rupture of the grass”.
Look at the saxifrage in the photo below:
Photo gallery
Description of leaves, flowers and fruits of saxifrage
This is a beautiful decorative-deciduous herbaceous rosette plant. It has a rhizome, the roots of which are thin, branched, but at the same time fully provide nutrition for the entire flower. A feature of this plant is also the fact that roots can grow in internodes upon contact with the ground. This feature allows the saxifrage to quickly grow over the surface.
The height of a domestic saxifrage flower is on average up to 30 cm. Some varieties of this plant can reach 70 cm, while others will not be more than 5 cm. The saxifrage stems are long, spread on the ground or hang down if grown in a pot.
Speaking of saxifrage, when describing this plant, one cannot but say about its foliage. Petiolate leaves, gathering in a basal rosette. But depending on the type of plant, they can vary greatly in shape and shade. The fleshy foliage, depending on the type of saxifrage, can be almost round, oval, feathery, heart-like, etc. In one species it can be smooth, while in the other it is pubescent with fine hair. In some saxifrage, the leaves are green on top, and bright red underneath, in others they can be bluish or gray-gray, up to 7 cm in diameter. On long, thin, filamentous stolon shoots, miniature daughter rosettes are formed.
A feature of saxifrage as indoor plant there will be a formation of white bloom on the foliage, which is especially clearly visible at the edges. This is a calcareous discharge that is produced by the plant itself.
Saxifrage blooms in early spring or early summer, on average, the peak occurs from May to August. The flowers are small, regular in shape, depending on the type, white-pink, or light yellow, collected in a complex brush or panicle, their size can reach 20 cm.
Look at the saxifrage plant in the photo during the flowering period:
Photo gallery
Each bud consists of 5 pointed petals, outwardly they resemble a bell with wide open edges or a star. The flowers of this plant give off a very light and pleasant aroma. The saxifrage is pollinated by insects or wind. The fruits are set in September and are boxes with seeds. The seed is small, dark, and its shape is oblong.
The saxifrage is good as an ampelous plant. It is often used not only for indoor growing, but also for decorating flower beds, alpine slides in the garden, as some of its species form a beautiful flowering carpet.
Types and varieties of saxifrage: photos, names and descriptions of plant varieties
In nature, there are more than 400 species of saxifrage, many of which can be used for garden cultivation, for example, the Bedrenets saxifrage, Soddy saxifrage and others. Check out the characteristics of some of them.
For home floriculture, species with medium-sized leaf rosettes are most often used.
The most popular is the braided saxifrage (S. stolonifera) and its varieties (you can see them in the photo):
Photo gallery
In nature, a plant of this species can be found in China and Japan. Usually several outlets are planted in one pot at once, then the flower looks more magnificent. Grows a plant-bearing saxifrage in pots as an ampelous plant. Stolons grow from each planted bush, young rosettes are formed on them, from which side shoots appear again. The flowering period of this variety of indoor saxifrage is long, from May to September.
The saxifrage variety Harvest Moon has a pale greenish tint of leaves that approaches yellow. Each sheet has a white and pink border around the edges.
The saxifrage variety "Tricolor" has a brighter color of greenery, look at the presented photo you can clearly see this:
Photo gallery
Another species that can be successfully grown at home is a hybrid of K. Arends mossy. This plant is an evergreen perennial with a taproot. In the course of its growth in a pot, it forms a dense cushion of greenery with a diameter of about 12 cm.
Depending on the variety, Arends's saxifrage gives different shades flowers.
Look at the most common varieties of this saxifrage in the photo with names and a short description:
Saxifrage "Purple Carpet" - blooms with pink inflorescences.
Saxifrage "Purpurteppich" - gives flowers of a red hue.
Saxifrage "Schneeteppich" - has white buds.
Saxifrage "Peter Pan" - will delight you with soft pink flowers.
Look at the saxifrage of the Cotyledon species in the photo, she is her appearance very similar to succulent:
Photo gallery
The plant gives a rosette of dense foliage, depending on the varietal variety, it can be of a different shade. Its structure resembles a rose, therefore this species is often called "stone rose". When grown at home, it looks very impressive in a pot. During the flowering period, it releases a brush with many delicate buds on it.
The saxifrage "Arctic Fortchuna" variety "Nadrezolopastny" is especially popular for home cultivation. This type of flower, native to Sakhalin, the Kuriles and Japan, is a low-growing perennial plant with a medium-sized rhizome. The foliage is round, rather large, basal. It is located on the roots, and there are teeth at the edges. During the flowering period (from August to September), it gives paniculate inflorescences, on which there are many buds, the diameter of which can reach 1 cm.
The "Fortune" saxifrage of the "Nadrezolopastny" variety has flowers of a pleasant pink hue.
Other varieties of this flower can also be distinguished:
Photo gallery
Growing these subspecies is possible at home, but they are more suitable for garden decoration, as they give an abundant green carpet with lush flowering.
How to plant saxifrage and how to grow it (with video)
Saxifrage as an indoor flower belongs to light-loving plants. In such conditions, she feels very comfortable, but at the same time, she tolerates partial shade quite well. The most suitable location for a saxifrage would be a western or eastern window sill. But on the south side, the plant needs shading, for example, with a translucent curtain.
If this is not done, then the saxifrage foliage will become pale. North windows are not suitable for this plant, as there will not be enough light for its normal development. In low light, the leaf veins of the saxifrage lose their brightness and the plant becomes not so variegated, but about beautiful bloom even out of the question.
In the summer months, growing conditions are suitable for saxifrage in the open air (balcony, veranda, loggia, pots can be taken out into the garden). But here it is also important to shade and protect the plant from possible precipitation.
In winter, the minimum temperature is 5-7 ° C, but even here a lot depends on the type of saxifrage. For example, the owners of variegated leaves in winter period require more high temperature content (within 16 ° C), and plants with green foliage feel good at 12-14 ° C. AT summer period this indoor flower will develop well at 20-25 ° C.
Another factor to consider for saxifrage when nursing and growing is good air circulation. Remember that the room where the pot with this indoor flower is located should be regularly ventilated.
The plant requires high humidity, and every other day it is sprayed with water. You can increase this indicator during the heating season or on hot summer days using a pallet with gravel or expanded clay, which should be constantly moistened. A flower pot is placed on such a structure. In this case, make sure that the holes on the bottom of the container do not touch the water in the sump, but are located on the drain. This will protect your plant from excess moisture in the potting soil. During the heating season, you can place a damp cloth on a warm battery - this is another way to increase the percentage of air humidity.
Before planting the saxifrage in the ground, it should be disinfected. To do this, it is enough to hold the soil in a well-heated oven for about a quarter of an hour. The substrate - humus, leafy and sod soil, sand (1: 1: 1: 1) is suitable for almost all types and varieties of saxifrage, but for K. Cotiledon, a more acidic soil should be selected. Another important point for choosing a soil mixture is to give preference to soil with good air and moisture permeability.
For more information on environmental requirements for saxifrage, see this video:
When caring for this plant, certain rules should be remembered. Even though it grows in the wild in a rather harsh climate and conditions, hybrid species for growing at home require special attention. Therefore, if you want the indoor saxifrage to develop well, provide it with decent care.
The main things to look out for when growing this plant:
- Watering.
- Maintaining moisture.
- Fertilization.
- Transplanting and soil preparation.
Watering should be plentiful in summer and moderate in winter. Despite the fact that the plant belongs to moisture-loving, saxifrage, when caring for home, will not tolerate stagnation of moisture in the soil. This leads to decay of the root system and the death of the flower. As well as stagnation of moisture, one should beware of prolonged complete drying out of the soil in a pot with saxifrage. Therefore, gardeners recommend orienting themselves to determine the time of moisturizing on the top layer in the pot. As soon as it dries out 2-3 cm deep, it's time to water.
When humidifying, use soft room temperature water and make sure that it does not fall on the leaf outlet. The appearance of moisture in this area can lead to decay. To protect the plant from water getting into the outlet, you can use bottom watering. To do this, liquid is poured into the pan, and as soon as the earth is completely saturated with moisture, the remaining is drained.
The saxifrage plant, when leaving in the summer, requires mandatory spraying. It should also be carried out regularly in winter, provided that the room where the flower grows is dry air. Spraying is carried out every other day from a spray bottle, and warm, soft water is used for this procedure. Spraying should be very fine and done around the plant pot so that drops do not run down the outlet.
How to care for saxifrage: feeding and transplanting
During the period of active growth (March - August), complex fertilizer is applied weekly. In winter, the amount of dressing is reduced to once every two months. Timely fertilization is the answer to the question of how to grow a beautiful, regular saxifrage. If feeding is not enough, then the shoots of the plant stretch out, the rosettes practically do not develop, and the flowering period may not come. It is important to remember that if you use fertilizers for decorative leafy houseplants, which is also acceptable for saxifrage, then the concentration indicated on the package for it should be halved.
Transplanted annually in the spring while the plant is still young. How to care for a room saxifrage when it is already old enough? For such flowers, the transplant is carried out as needed, paying attention to the root system. If it has completely occupied all the soil, it makes sense to transfer to a larger pot. For such a plant, it is necessary to select a low but wide capacity. And to make this indoor flower look more magnificent and effective in it, you can plant several outlets in one pot.
Reproduction of saxifrage: how to plant a daughter outlet
The saxifrage is a plant that reproduces by means of daughter rosettes with aerial roots that form at the ends of the shoots, by dividing the bush or by seeds. The first method is considered the easiest and most affordable, which even novice gardeners can handle.
This can be done in two ways:
- Plucking daughter sockets.
- By planting them in the ground without separating from the mother plant.
How to plant a saxifrage daughter rosette by plucking? The first step is to select a suitable healthy shoot. At its end there should already be a formed rosette; in some varieties, small roots can already be seen on it. It is carefully separated from the shoot with a sharp blade. The rosette deepens into the prepared soil to a depth of 2-3 cm. The soil in the pot must be moistened, but not flooded. Very soon, such a shoot will take root and begin to actively grow. The first fertilization should not be earlier than 1 month after planting.
If no roots are visible on the outlet you have separated, then such planting material must be held in water with "Kornevin" before planting in the ground. As soon as the roots appear, feel free to plant the plant in the ground.
Another way to plant a rosette without roots is to place it in the ground without separating it from the mother plant. A saxifrage flower with such a planting and proper care (timely watering, temperature within 20-25 ° С) will take root very quickly. As soon as signs of development and growth of a young plant appear, it is separated by cutting off the stolon.
Proper cultivation of saxifrage from seeds and care at home
But it is not so easy to grow a saxifrage from seeds at home, and such a procedure requires a lot of patience and effort from a grower. Sowing of planting material is carried out in the spring. To begin with, boxes are prepared, which are filled with vermiculite and peat in equal proportions, the earthen mixture is well pressed. Seeds mixed with sand are planted on the prepared soil, but they are not sprinkled. For saxifrage when grown from seeds, moisture from a spray bottle is sufficient. Next, the container with the planting material is covered with polyethylene, creating optimal conditions for growth. The maintenance of the box with saxifrage seeds should be carried out at a temperature in the range of 18-22 ° C. Under such conditions, the first borings will appear during the crescent.
The picking of seedlings is carried out after the appearance of 2-3 full leaves. To do this, each bore is transplanted into separate medium-sized pots. Here, a room saxifrage grown from seeds will stay until its root system completely fills the allotted container. During this period, the sprouts need to provide the conditions described above. Further, the formed young plants can be planted in several pieces in one pot, but it must be wide enough for such a planting. The first color of saxifrage at correct cultivation from seeds at home will give next year.
Dividing the saxifrage bush
The method of reproduction by dividing the bush is used more for plant rejuvenation. After the flowering period is over, young rosettes with roots are separated from the center of the mother bush and planted in a prepared soil mixture. Pots with such young saxifrage should be kept in a shaded place, as they are rather weak, then, when they begin to grow actively, you should choose a place with brighter lighting, but without direct sunlight.
Look again at the various types of saxifrage in the photo and remember their names: Plethnosnaya, Arends, Fortune:
Photo gallery
Such plants can become a real decoration of your windowsill, and with proper care they will surely delight you with abundant and beautiful flowering.
This article will open for you such a beautiful and amazing plant like a saxifrage. You will be able to learn about how it is grown, care, planting in open ground, what varieties exist, and also get acquainted with some of the features of reproduction and use of saxifrage in modern landscape design.
Saxifrage: varieties and varieties
The name of this beautiful herbaceous plant hints at the fact that saxifrage grows and develops even in hard-to-reach places... Its exquisite bright flowers are able to easily destroy the strongest stones and "settle" in the cracks formed. The saxifrage family is diverse and multifaceted, it has about 200 species. The beauty and simplicity of saxifrage contribute to their active use in modern landscape design. The most popular today are 2 types of these perennial plants.
Saxifrage is very unusual and attractive plant for your garden
Soddy saxifrage. It looks like a dense turf of rosettes with dissected leaves. This species does not bloom for long, only 3-4 weeks in June. For her, planting in a slightly acidic open ground, rich in humus, will be optimal.
Soddy saxifrage
This view The saxifrage boasts the following varieties:
- Rose-kenigen (bright pink);
- Purplemontelle (magenta);
- Triumph (ruby red shade).
Arends' saxifrage. This plant will delight you with a rich green color. all year round... Its leaves form a continuous carpet up to 15 cm high. The flowering period is late spring - early summer.
Arends' saxifrage
The most popular varieties of such saxifrage:
- Peter Pen (bright red buds);
- Sleeping Beauty (red flowers);
- Floral Carpet (a scattering of pink and purple flowers);
- Snow carpet (white buds).
In addition, there are shadow, Manchurian, reed, paniculate, round-leaved, wicker and other types of saxifrage. Some of them can be seen in the photo.
Round-leaved saxifrage
Planting a plant
The decorative saxifrage has an insanely beautiful appearance, planting and caring for which does not imply any complex manipulations.
Flowering and development of these perennial plants will occur much better if a little crushed limestone, gravel, sand and peat are added to the planting soil. When planting saxifrage, provide them with good drainage systemas a large amount of moisture can cause plant death.
Saxifrage care
Give attention and proper care to these stunning perennials and they will reward you with their fantastic blooms. They need regular watering in moderate doses, as well as fertilizing with fertilizers (once a month). Around plants, the soil should always be loose and weeded.
The saxifrage will feel very good in the rock garden or rockery
Stone rock gardens are often laid around the bushes of saxifrage, which serve as a kind of protective barrier for the roots from the scorching sun and help to retain moisture.
When the saxifrage fades, the aerial part of the plant is cut off. This procedure is necessary for the appearance of new leaves. These perennials are excellent in winter. If severe frosts come, it is better to cover the saxifrage.
Proper cultivation of saxifrage implies several important nuances in care:
- avoid heat (create a relative shadow);
- provide flowing watering (make drainage).
The plant can feel good with minimal maintenance
Fertilizing and feeding
Once every 4 weeks, along with the next watering, add top dressing. The only exception will be the period from October to February, when this should not be done. The concentration of liquid fertilizers should be at least two times less than indicated on the package.
Attention! Avoid overfeeding the plant. Excessive fertilization can cause the culture to become loose and defenseless against dangerous infections.
Reproduction of saxifrage
Saxifrage is propagated in several ways. It is grown from seeds, new representatives are obtained by rosettes or by dividing a bush.
The culture propagates very easily by rosettes
Start off breeding by rosettes possible only after the end of flowering. To do this, the rosettes are very carefully separated from the bush, rooted in fertile soil, and then watered. For planting, it is worth choosing a place that will be protected from the scorching sun. Only in the spring are plants planted in open ground.
Another breeding method involves obtaining seedlings, after planting seeds plants in open ground. Seeds are scattered on the surface of the nutrient substrate and slapped a little with the palm of your hand. Seedlings are dived and transplanted into peat pots. In open ground, seedlings are planted together with pots in June, observing distances from 7 to 25 cm.
Such breeding methods will be simple for both an experienced and a novice grower.
Saxifrage seeds
Diseases and pests
The saxifrage is quite resistant to pests and diseases. However, unfavorable growing conditions or improper care can lead to infection or pest damage.
Dryness can cause damage to the plant by spider mites. In this case, a whitish web will be visible on the saxifrage. Later, the tick infects the leaves, they are covered yellow spots, dry up and gradually die off. Excessive moisture leads to the appearance of powdery mildew or damage to the leaves of the plant with rust, which is created by a variety of fungi.
Spider mite
Most dangerous pests for these perennials are scale insects and green aphids.
Saxifrage: Combination with other plants
Growing saxifrage will bring you tremendous pleasure. All their varieties look very original and impressive, especially when combined with other plants. Irises, muscari and many other undersized crops can share the neighborhood with them. Amazing combinations of saxifrage with lingonberries or decorated Chinese gentian will help fill your exterior with beauty and originality.
Saxifrage in landscape design
With its mesmerizing beauty, the saxifrage has earned its rightful place in modern landscape design. It is placed in rock gardens, on artificial slides, embankments and rocks, where it looks very stylish and impressive. This plant will instantly turn an empty and unattractive rocky place into a gorgeous flower garden. The richness of its varieties and shades will fill the surrounding space with bright, rich colors. That is why saxifrage is absolutely irreplaceable for landscape design.
Growing saxifrage: video
Types of saxifrage: photo
One of the most unpretentious plants is the saxifrage, which even a beginner can take care of. Gardeners often use it to decorate rocky compositions and form ridges.
Description of the plant
Saxifrage (Saxifraga) - perennial (less common one- and two-year-old species) of the saxifrage family (Saxifragaceae)... The name of the plant comes from two Latin words: "saxum" - rock and "fragere" - to break. This is due to the ability of the plant to settle in the crevices of the rocks and destroy the rock with its roots. The popular name for saxifrage is "tear-grass".
In the natural environment, there are about 400 different types saxifrage. No more than 80 species are cultivated in the gardens. They are most widespread in temperate and northern latitudes, including the Arctic regions.
The saxifrage, all the charm of which you can appreciate even in the photo, is a stunted plant that can form a decorative rug. Leaves in different plant species are very diverse in shape and type of surface: they can be thick, leathery, dense, fleshy, round or slightly elongated. The color of the leaves ranges from dark green to gray-green tones.
The flowers of the saxifrage are small, collected in racemose or paniculate inflorescences. Most often there are species with white inflorescences, less often with pink or red flowers.
Photo gallery
The most common types and varieties
Arends' saxifrage
Arends' saxifrage is a fairly common undersized hybrid. They grow no more than 10-20 cm in height, forming dense thickets. Separate leaves, rich green color, which is visible even in the photo. Blooms in May-June.
It grows and develops well in northern latitudes. In gardens and flower beds, Arends' saxifrage is planted in small groups, which form a continuous flowering carpet.
Arends' saxifrage is represented by the following varieties:
- Purpurmantel is a plant with purple-pink flowers, the height of the stems does not exceed 20 cm.
- Blutenteppih is a variety with bright red inflorescences, forms a flower mat, not exceeding 15 cm in height.
- Schneeteppich is a plant with dark green leaves and white flowers.
- Flamingo - the variety got its name from the pink flowers that have a similar color with a magnificent bird. Seeds of this variety can be purchased at specialized stores.
Thigh saxifrage
The saxifrage thigh is a perennial herbaceous plant... Belongs to the umbrella family. Most common in the Caucasus, Siberia and the European part. Grows in light pine forests, clearings, forest edges, open grassy slopes.
The quarry thigh is a rather tall species. Erect stems can reach 60 cm in height.
The flowers of this type of quarry are white, collected in umbellate inflorescences, formed in May-June.
This type of quarry is rarely cultivated as ornamental plant... Most often it is grown because of its medicinal properties... AT traditional medicine all parts of the plant are used: roots, stems, leaves, flowers and seeds.
Indoor saxifrage
The indoor saxifrage is very suitable for beginner gardeners. Dry cool air of apartments in winter time does not bring any harm to the room saxifrage. In its natural environment, this type of plant grows in the mountainous regions of Japan and China, clinging to crevices with long shoots.
At home, the plant is planted in, following the instructions posted in one of our articles. Numerous shoots descend, forming several tiers. It is better to place such a hanging pot in a shaded place, because under excessive light, the leaves of the plant lose color and become faded. They look most impressive in the photo joint landings room saxifrage with blooming petunias.
Saxifrage wicker maintenance and care (video)
Saxifrage: planting and care
Saxifrags are propagated in three ways:
- using seeds;
- cuttings;
- dividing the bush.
Seeds the plants are small, they are used for growing seedlings in greenhouses. Sowing is carried out in the spring, in March or April. The soil for seedlings is nutritious, light enough. Slightly ram it in a planting container, then moisten it moderately and pour seeds mixed with a small amount of sand on top with a thin layer. Then cover the pot with glass or tighten with foil.
The first shoots appear in 10-12 days. A month later, the grown plants dive into peat pots. Seedlings are planted in open ground in a permanent place in June. Young plants will begin to bloom only next year.
Bush division method used to rejuvenate old plants. After the end of flowering, lateral young rosettes with roots are separated from the central mother bush. It is better to plant young plants in shaded areas. They are left to winter in the open field, and in the spring they are transplanted to a permanent place.
Cuttings The saxifrage is propagated in June-July, when the flowering of the bush ends. For this, long side shoots are bent to the ground and fixed. By the end of summer, the cuttings take root. In winter, young plants are covered with fallen leaves. Young shoots are separated from the mother plant in the spring, immediately replanting them to a permanent place.
Soils for planting saxifrage choose light, in which water does not stagnate. When planting, you can add coarse river sand, humus or peat to heavy soil. Watering is carried out in sufficient quantity, preventing overdrying of the soil. Regularly (at least once or twice a month) they are fed with complex fertilizer.
In one place saxifrage grows for 5-7 years. Then the bush grows old and falls apart, exposing the middle. As soon as this happens, the bush is rejuvenated due to lateral shoots and transplanted to a new place.
When choosing a saxifrage, you should pay attention to ready-made sockets, which are already ingrained.
This plant will feel best of all in a hanging planter, located as far as possible from heating appliances.
It needs good drainage, which will keep the roots from rotting due to stagnant water.
Pruning
Watering
To water this plant, use soft, settled water. During the period from March to October, watering should be regular and performed as soon as you notice that the top layer of the earth has begun to dry out. In winter, the saxifrage needs to be watered less, but the soil should not be allowed to dry out.
Landing
Saxifrage can be planted in any season. Pick up a small wide pot for this purpose and plant several outlets there at once.
ATTENTION! Do not forget to add a layer of expanded clay to the bottom of the pot to create drainage.
For this representative of the flora, it is best suited humus soil mixture. To prepare it, you can combine two parts of leafy soil, four parts of clay-turf soil and one part of sand. You can also mix one part of peat, humus, sand, as well as humus and leafy soil.
The saxifrage is best in the garden plant in early spring. The distance between plants should not be less than twenty centimeters. This beauty is very warm to limestone, therefore, limestone should be added to the soil, or a rock garden should be made of stones, on the slope of which a plant should be planted.
If the soil in your garden contains clay, you can add river sand and sod land there, and also make drainage layer.
Transfer
For a flower that grows in indoor conditions, a transplant is necessary when its roots are entwined with an earthen lump.
Temperature
When saxifrage is undergoing a growing period, it must be kept at an ambient temperature of twenty to twenty-four degrees above zero.
In winter the temperature in the room where the pot with this plant is located should be between sixteen and eighteen degrees Celsius for varieties with variegated leaves and from twelve to fourteen degrees for saxifrage with green leaves.
Lighting
The best indoor saxifrage will feel on the windowsill of the west or east window. You can also place it on the north side. But if you decide to put the pot on the south side, keep it away from the window and protect the leaves from direct sunlight.
ATTENTION! Excessive lighting will lead to blanching of the leaves, and insufficient lighting will lead to a loss of brightness of the veins.
In summer, you can take the flower to the balcony, but do not forget to cover it from the sun and rain.
When planting a saxifrage in open ground, position it so that it is not exposed to direct sunlight. You can solve this problem by blocking the sun with any tall plant located on the south side.
A photo
You can admire the indoor stonefracture grown at home in the photo: 
Reproduction
The most popular breeding methods for saxifrage are as follows:
Seeds
Seeds are recommended to be sown in seedling boxes in spring. Growing saxifrage from seeds is a fun process. It is not worth planting them in open ground right away, since they are very small.
IMPORTANT! To increase the germination of seeds, they are kept in the cold for two months.
The seeds are mixed with sand and sown in boxes filled with a light nutritious substrate consisting of greenhouse soil, sand and peat. Above nothing you do not need to sprinkle the seeds.Water them with a spray bottle and keep them in a room where the air temperature is between eighteen and twenty degrees Celsius.
Already on the sixth or ninth day, you can notice that the seeds have sprouted. Then you will need dive shoots, leaving the strongest of them. When the seedlings grow up, they can be planted in pots or placed in open ground.
For more information on growing saxifrage from seeds, see the video:
Outlets
To propagate the plant with rosettes, you need to cut off one of the side rosettes that form on your pet as it grows. The best way to do it in summer time.
Dig in its base with soil and water it. When the rosette takes root, let it overwinter in the same place, and it will be possible to transplant it next spring.
Shoots
For the propagation of saxifrage by shoots, it is necessary to bend the extreme long shoots to the ground and sprinkle them with moist earth so that the top remains on the surface. Cover the dug-in place with humus and foliage to protect the soil from drying out.
When the shoot takes root, separate it and plant it in a substrate consisting of a mixture of two parts of humus soil, one part of sand and one part of turf soil. After planting, the shoot needs abundant watering.
Benefit and harm
Application in medicine
Saxifrage not only pleases the eye with its beauty, but also has remarkable healing properties.
Folk healers have long noticed that this plant has an antitumor, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-febrile effect on the human body.
Saxifrage leaves are used to extract sap, which is applied externally with frostbite, boils or abscesses, as well as to reduce pain with otitis media. Internal use This juice helps in the treatment of diseases such as ascites, bronchial asthma and nervous disorders.
Decoctions and infusions are prepared from saxifrage, which are used to lower the temperature, help stop vomiting and cure infectious diseases.
But, as you know, misuse of any medicinal plant able to harm the human body. To the use of saxifrage in medicinal purposes need to be treated with caution during pregnancy and lactation. In addition, it is not recommended for people suffering from bradycardia and thrombosis.
Uncontrolled intake of this plant can lead to dermatitis.
Diseases and pests
The most common pest of saxifrage is spider mite. Excessive dryness of the air contributes to its appearance. The increased humidity of the air causes the appearance of fungal diseases and powdery mildew. Treatment of the plant will help to solve these problems. medicinal preparations.
Often the flower is attacked by insects, which must be harvested by hand. Anticocidal drugs will help get rid of these pests.
If the leaves are covered with a black sticky bloom, it means that your pet has been damaged by a green aphid. In this case, process it pyrimor.
Conclusion
Proper maintenance and care of saxifrage will give you the joy of contemplating its flowers for years to come.
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Saxifrage - amazing ground cover perennial from the Stonefragment family. He is able to survive and bloom in conditions that are unsuitable for many living organisms. Saxifrage can be found at the foot of the mountains, on rocks and rocky embankments. It got its name for its ability to settle in the smallest cracks and gradually destroy the stone with its roots. The plant is also called "tear-grass". It grows naturally in temperate climates throughout the Northern Hemisphere and is successfully cultivated in gardens as a ground cover plant.
Botanical description
Saxifrage is a rhizome plant 5-70 cm high. They have long creeping stems. The plant is nourished by thin branched roots. They are at the base of the shoots, and are also formed in the internodes of the shoots in contact with the ground. As a result, loose turf grows very quickly.
Petiole leaves are collected in a basal rosette. They vary greatly in some species. A fleshy or leathery leaf plate can have a variety of shapes (oval, heart-shaped, diamond-shaped, feathery). There are smooth or slightly pubescent leaves. They are colored dark green, silver, bluish or bluish. The leaves are gradually covered with a white bloom, it is especially noticeable at the edges. In fact, these are lime deposits that are secreted by the plant itself.
In May-August, the saxifrage is covered with small flowers. Corollas of regular shape on vertical arrows up to 20 cm long gather in loose panicles. They consist of five petals with a pointed edge, so they resemble a star or a wide-open bell. Flowers are most often colored in white color, but there are yellow, pink and red. They exude a subtle pleasant aroma.
The saxifrage is pollinated by insects, but it is also prone to self-pollination with the help of the wind. In September, the fruits are tied - multi-seeded capsules with dark small oblong seeds.
Species diversity
The genus of saxifrage is very diverse. There are over 450 species in it.
The plants form dense, bright green sods up to 20 cm high. The delicate small leaves are divided into narrow strips. In May-June, miniature star-shaped flowers bloom. Plants tolerate even severe frosts well. Varieties:
- Flamingo - blooms with pale pink buds;
- White carpet - loose paniculate inflorescences with white bells up to 1 cm in diameter bloom above the low dark green shoots;
- Purple carpet - flower stalks and flowers themselves are painted in burgundy or purple, and the core of the bud is yellow.
The variety blooms very little, but it is distinguished by dense bluish-green sods, which can grow even on slightly acidic soil. Varieties:
- Triumph - covered with red flowers in June;
- Rose Kenigen - dissolves bright pink delicate inflorescences.
Herbaceous perennial 4-8 cm high forms beautiful symmetrical rosettes of fleshy leaves with jagged edges. The foliage is colored gray-green or bluish-green. Paniculate inflorescences of yellow, red or white colors bloom from the center of the rosette on a long arrow.
Dense dark green thickets form cushions 30-60 cm high. Creeping stems quickly spread over long distances. In June, quite large flowers with five rounded petals bloom. Having opened, they are painted in pink color, but gradually become purple.
Shade-loving plant up to 20 cm high with whole evergreen leaves of rich colors. Oval leaves with uneven edges are covered with purple stains below. In July, paniculate inflorescences with white small flowers bloom above the leaf rosettes. Their core is colored purple.
The creeping, branched shoots are very densely covered with bright green foliage. The edges of the oblong leaves are dissected into thin stripes, so the dense pillow resembles a thicket of moss. In summer, yellow-white flowers bloom on peduncles up to 6 cm long.
The groundcover forms a dense green carpet. It is covered with petiolate rounded leaves. At the beginning of summer, white flowers with purple dots on the petals bloom on arrows up to 40 cm long. Plants are shade-tolerant and frost-resistant.
Growing saxifrage from seeds
Saxifrage seeds remain viable for up to three years. They need to be stratified before sowing. For this, seeds mixed with sand are placed in a refrigerator for 15-20 days. Sow them first for seedlings. In March, containers are prepared with a mixture of greenhouse soil and sand. The soil is scalded, and the smallest seeds mixed with sand are scattered on the surface. You do not need to deepen them. Crops are sprayed and covered with a transparent lid.
Sprouts appear after 1-2 weeks. Grown up seedlings with 2-4 leaves dive in separate peat pots. In May, the seedlings begin to be taken outside during the day for hardening. Saxifrage is transplanted into open ground in early June. It intensively grows shoots, but blooms only next summer.
Vegetative propagation
Creeping shoots take root by themselves. Roots form in leaf axils upon contact with the ground. It is enough to cut off the rooted shoot from the mother plant and carefully transplant it with a lump of earth to a new place. Honestly, daughter outlets are formed on the stems even without contact with the ground. They grow aerial roots. In the spring, the offshoot is cut off and planted in open ground.
Shoots 5-10 cm long in summer are cut into cuttings. They can be rooted in water or loose sandy-peat soil. In the fall, a full-fledged small plant is obtained, but it is not yet ready for wintering in the garden. It is grown indoors and only next spring is transplanted outside.
Planting and care at home
Saxifrage is a very tenacious and unpretentious plant. They are grown outdoors and are also used as indoor flower... Plants thrive better in well-lit areas or in partial shade. In the garden, shallow pits are prepared for seedlings at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. Saxifrage is undemanding to the composition of the soil, but prefers loose, well-drained substrates with a slightly alkaline reaction. Before planting, the soil is dug up with slaked lime, gravel, sand and peat.
Indoor flowers are planted 2-3 plants together to get a denser bush. Transplant them as needed, when the flower becomes cramped in the pot. The capacity is selected shallow, but wide enough. At the bottom, be sure to pour a thick layer of pebbles, broken brick or expanded clay.
During the period of active growth, the optimum temperature for saxifrage is + 20 ... + 25 ° C. For the winter, it is lowered to + 12 ... + 15 ° C. Cold snaps below + 15… + 18 ° C are not recommended for variegated varieties. If indoor flowers are kept warm in winter, additional lighting is needed, otherwise the stems will stretch out a lot.
Best of all, saxifrage feels at high air humidity, so sod should be periodically sprayed. Watering is done by sprinkling. It is necessary to moisten the soil with care so that the water does not stagnate at the roots, and the top layer has time to dry out. The saxifrage covers the entire soil, so there is no need to weed the soil near it. It also successfully suppresses weeds.
In spring and summer, saxifrage thickets are fertilized twice a month. Usually organic matter is alternated with mineral complexes. In winter, feeding is continued, but they are carried out less often (every 1.5-2 months).
The plant hibernates in temperate climates without shelter. Even if in snowless, harsh winters some of the shoots freeze, young shoots will appear from growth points in early spring and cover the bald patches on the ground. Peduncles live only one year and dry up in autumn.
Indoor flowers are cut in half in spring in order to preserve the decorative effect of the bush longer. But in any case, after 5-6 years, the plant needs to be rejuvenated, since the bases of the shoots are strongly stretched and bare.
Possible difficulties
With excessive dampness and stagnant water, saxifrage is affected powdery mildew and rust. Mold stains can also appear on the leaves. To prevent such diseases, it is necessary to keep plants in a drier room and limit watering. Damaged leaves and shoots are cut off, and the remaining parts are processed " copper sulfate"Or fungicides.
Sometimes spider mites, worms and aphids settle in the thickets. They quickly disappear after treatment with an insecticide (Aktara, Pirimor) or soap solution.
Use of saxifrage
The soft green carpet, over which, as if artificial, rose and white flowers on long stems rise, is suitable for landscaping rockeries, alpine hills and decorating masonry. The saxifrage will easily decorate voids and decorate curbs. It is also used in indoor gardening and as an ampelous plant. Phlox, tiarella, lingonberry or Chinese gentian can be partners for saxifrage.
It is known to use saxifrage as a medicine. Its leaves contain large amounts of flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, organic acids and coumarins. Broths are taken as an anti-inflammatory, anti-febrile and pain reliever. With their help, bronchitis, sore throat, gout, hemorrhoids, purulent rashes and skin ulcers are treated.
